Internal-combustion turbine



T. J. PUPLETT. INTERNAL comuslow TURBINE,

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9, i921.

Patented July 18, 192.22

www3.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

'me la PUPLETTl INTERNAL coMBuSTION Tumsmf.V

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9, 1921.

Patented July 189 1922..

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T. J. PUPLETT.

INTERNAL coMBUsTloN TURBINE.

.- APPLICATION FILED DEC. 9, 192|. M2M@ Patented July 18, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

T. 1. PUPLETT.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILEQ No.9, |921.

jly-QL, l- Patented July 18, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

uNrrED s TATEsf PATENT OFFICE.

V'.nnaroinas JAMES rUrLErfr, oF MANCHESTER, Errenalvn.V

INTERNALCOMBUSTION TUEEINE.

Laeaas.

Slueciication of Letters Patent. Patint-,ed 51115718, 1922.

Application ledecember 9, 1921. Serial No. 521,245.

-bustible charge after ignition is directed on toa vane wheel and comprises the improved combination and arrangement of parts for compressingthe combustible charge, transferring the same to the combustion space and for permitting the same to impinge upon the vane wheel.

The invention comprises the combination withv a vane Wheel having a fixed sleeve or ring-like element therearound withh guide passages therethrough, o f a movable sleeve or ring with guideA passages therethrough around the fixed sleeve or ring, an annular combustion chamber around the said move able sleeve, and means actuated by the pressure of the combustion in said annular chamber for moving the said movable sleeve or ring relatively to the fixed ring for bringing the passagesin thetwo rings out of or into alignment with one another.

The invention further comprises the combination with the vane Wheel having the fixed andr movable sleeves therearound, and with the combustion chamber surrounding the sleeves, of an annular pumping space with a ring like piston therein for compressing the combustible charge'into said space.

The invention further comprises the d etails of construction and arrangement here inafter described.

Referring to the four accompanying sheetsof explanatory drawings Figure 1 1s a sectional elevation through an internal combustible turbine constructed in one convenient form in accordance withv end elevation on ne 5-5 of Figure 3.

The same reference letters in the different .views indicate the same parts.

In accordance with my invention, the vane wheel'a 1s surrounded by afxed sleeve or r1ngl1ke yelement b having guiding passages b1 therethrough for directing the products of combustion on to the vane wheel. There 1s alsov arranged a second sleeve or ring o aroundthe fixed ring, the second sleeve having gulde passages 01 therethrough which,

by the movement of the sleeve c can beV brought into and moved out of alignment w1th the passages b1 through the fixed ring The combustion space Z ofthe turbine is dlsposed around the movable sleeve @and plstonhke parts e connected to said sleeve c, herelnafter termed the sleeve valve, serve when the pressure in said 9o n ibustion space d exceeds a predetermined amount, to move the sald sleeve valve c and open the passages whereby the products of combustion are allowed to issue into or impinge upon the vane wheel a.

One of the pistons e is adapted to be operated from a cam shaft g which can move the sleeve valve o positivelyfto bring the ports-cland b? intoalignment and' can also move sald sleeve valve to put the said ports out of alignment through the medium of the sprlngh. The positive'rneans for positively actuatlng one of the pistons `e preferably consists of an element which is slidabl'e` through the -end of the cylindrical chamber and operatively associated with the spring h the opposlte end of the cylinder being pivotally connected with a pitman which in turni is voperated by the cam shaft g as indicated in Fig. 2. U

In order to insure of the'proper admission of the char e in the combustion chambers d, two spari plugs are employed being positioned through the Walls ofthe chambers and preferably opposite each other and.

on opposlte sides of the restricted portions of these chambers adjacent the bearings of the piston rods p.

In order to exhaust the dispensed products of combustion exhaust passages j are provided. These passages are in the form of tubes preferably in threaded engage ment with the inner fixed ring b and the outer wall of the chamber. In this connection it is to be observed that the passages or tubes serve as a means for fixing the ring 7;.

The fuel charge is drawn past the slide valves /c (Figure 4) and compressed inan nular spaces m around the turbine shaft n, and preferably ofapproximately A the same cross sectional dimensions as the combustion space. The pistons o are of annular ringlike form and have packing rings thereon.

. There are preferably two piston rods p at diametrically opposite points, the said rods being reciprocated by suitable crank pins g, connecting rods r and a cross head s from the turbine power shaft a.

In the illustrated arrangement, I have provided three vane wheels a upon the 'one ower shaft, and I provide two pump cylinders and pistons, the two end combustion chambers being supplied with a fuel charge by the respective pumps, whilstthe centre combustion chamber is supplied by both pumps, which are double acting. It will be seen that with this arrangement, the centre turbine wheel receives twice as charges as each end turbine wheel.

Wlth the arrangement of parts before described, each pump draws in la fuel charge through a Carburettor and the slide valve c and compresses it into a combustion chamber d through a suitable valve u (see Figure 5) which may be a slide valve operated by the cam shaft g, each valve closing when the pump completes its compression stroke, and the charge being thereafter ignitedv in the combustion chamber d `by an electric sparkin the usual manner. The transfer port to the combustion space 4is shown at lv. The pressureof combustion in the combustion chamber acting upon the pistons e p connected to the sleeve valve c opens the guide ports by which the products of combustion are'directed on to the vane wheel a.-

The sleevevalves may close automatically under the pressure of the spring h when the pressure in the combustion space falls or the said valves will be closed by the cam actuated mechanism before described just 45.` prior to the commencement of the charging or compression stroke of the pump. A similar seriesof operationsoccurs at each vane Wheel. y

The casing adjacent the vane wheels and the charging pumps o may have water 4jackets therein.

Passages' or ports ,w may be providedvto prevent the accumulation of pressure in' the spaces between the vane wheel casin s.l

I do not limit'myself to'any particu ar details of m Y improved internal' combustion turbine,-but may modify the same to suit any particular services or requirements.

1. In internal combustion turbines, the combination 'with a vane wheelfof a cylindrical ring-like element arranged in spaced relation peripherally of the wheel, a sleeve valve disposed about and contacting with the ring-like element, an annular combustion many chamber arranged in spaced relation about the periphery of the sleeve valve, means for .controlling the admission of compressed through for directing-,the products of combustion against 'the vane wheel and spring controlled means normally kee ing said passages out of alignment actuated bythe pressure of combustion in said annular chambeiI for moving the sleeve valve to bring the' passages in the ring and sleeve valve inte alignment with one another and means for exhausting the products of combustion. 2. In, internal combustion turbines as claimedin claim 1 the provision of positive means for operating the sleeve valve in combination with the spring controlled pressure operated means.

3. In internal combustion turbines as claimed in claim l wherein the spring controlled pressure operable means includes cylindrical chambers communicating with the annular chamber, spring controlledpressure operable. piston heads in the cylinders vring-like element an sleeve valve, said means includin a cylindrical chamber communicating witg the annular chamber, a piston head operating in the cyindrical chamber, a link connection between the lpiston head and the sleeve valve, a spring acting to hold the piston head toward the inner end ofthe cylindrical chamber, an element *slidable through the cylindrical chamber and operatively associated with the spring, a pitman rod operatively connected with said element and a cam shaft with which the pitman rod isv associated. Y

. 5. In internal combustion turbines, in combination, a plurality of vane wheels, a fixed cylindrical ring arranged peripherally therethrough2 a sleeve valve disposed about each fixed ring andV also having passages therethrough, an annular combustion chamber arranged in spaced relation about .the

and a link Vconnection between the piston labout each vane wheel and having passages I periphery of each sleeve valve, a plurality i of .annular pumping spaces 4laterally (if and between the annular combustion chambers, av ring-like piston in each pump ing space for compressing combustible gases, means for controlling the admission ofthe gases into the combustion chambers, means for igniting the gases in each annular combustion chamber, spring controlled pressure operable means in each chamber 'for bringing the passages in the ring in alignment with the passages in the sleeve so that the products of combustion willV be directed on the vane wheel, said spring meanssubsequently acting to bring said passages out of alignment and meansI v:for exhausting the products of combustion. y

6. In internal combustion turbines in combination, a main shaft; a plurality of vane wheels in spaced relation thereon, a fixed cylindrical ring arranged peripherally about each vane wheel and having passages therethrough, a sleeve valve disposed about each ring-like element and having passages there-y through, an annular combustion chamber ar. ranged in spaced relation about the periphery of each sleevevalve, a plurality of annular pumping spaces laterally of and between the annuiar combustion chambers, valve means operatively connected withi the main shaft for controlling the admissionof gases to the spaces, a ring-like pis,- ton operating in each pumpingspace for compressing the gas charges thereln, com- .mon means connecting the ring-like pis-- tons with the mainshaft, valve controlled1 means operatively connected with the main into alignment so t at the products of com-v hustion will be directed on the vane wheel, said spring controlled means subsequentlyv acting to nieve the passages out of alignment, and means for exhausting the products of combustion.

7. Internal combustion turbines as claimed in claim l ywherein the exhaust means includes conduits between the chamber and the inner ring to hold the latter in fixed re- .iation with respect to the lvane wheel in addition to accomplishing its exhausting purposes.

ln testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

Trier/ias JAMES PUPLETTL 

